Dispatch communications systems are known. They are used for dispatch calls that are often half duplex. For such dispatch calls one user does the transmitting or talking and all other users that are on or within the dispatch call or group that is participating in the dispatch call are receiving or listening. Generally the user that is talking must relinquish the channel in order for another user to access the channel and talk to the other users. This presents a problem when the talker or user doing the talker is reluctant or unable (equipment malfunction) to relinquish the channel so that another user can talk. It is known to use a timer and upon the lapse of the timer allow other users to request and gain access to the channel and thus address the group on the dispatch call. However presently the non-talking users do not know when the timer has lapsed. Furthermore there are many situations where a single timer with a single value does not provide satisfactory performance for varying users of the system. Clearly a need exists for more flexible way of limiting transmissions in a dispatch communications system.